Furnace for steam-boilers



(No Model.) s sheets-sheet 1.

S. T. OWENS.

PURNAGB POR STEAM BML-ERS. No. 330,147. Patented Nov. 10, 1885.

3 Sheets Sheet 2.,

(No Model.)

S. T. OWENS.

PURNAGB FOR STEAM BOILERS.

Inventor.

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N PETERS. Plmw-uxlmgmphnr. wnsmngmn. D. C,

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

S. T. OWENS.

FURNAGB PoR STEAM BOILBRS.

Patented Nov. 10, 188.5

Inventar.

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FURNACE FOR STEAM-BOILERS.

PEGl-ICATEON forming part of Letters Patent No. 330.147, dated November10,1885. Application filed November 19, 1884. Serial No. 148,310. (Nomodel.)

To (LZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL T. OwnNs, of Pittsburg, in the county ofAllegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new `2 is alongitudinal vertical section through .one of the boilers onthe linearfr, Fig. 3. Figs. 3 and 4 are vertical cross-sections of the batg/ y anda z ofFig. 2, respect- Like letters of reference indicate like parts ineach.. 1 v

y The battery consists of Y four cylindrical boilers, a, which are builtin and sustained by suitable brick end and side walls, "and are providedwith the usualfiues, a; Between the boilers are metallic beams a2,instead of the usual brick-work, and the covering a3 is built up fromthese beams over the tops of the boilers, said covering being supportedat its edges by the beams, which are preferably provided withsupporting-anges for thatpurpose. The beams c2 separate the boilers andbrace the inner sides of the outer boilers and both sides of the twoinner ones. The boilers are further supported by metallic crossbraces a4placed at intervals along their length. The front ends of the flues acommunicate with the skirts a5 of the stacks a6 in the usual way. Thecombustion-chamber b extends under the entire length of the boilers andup between them to the beams a2, and at the rear end it communicates byopenings b in the end wall with a transverse chamber or verticalpassage, b2, which in turn communicates with the rear ends of the finesa, so that the flame and products of combustion from the chamber b passthrough the openings b and passage b2 to the drawings,

boiler-fines a', and thence through such dues to the stacks. Near therear end of the furnace is a cave or opening, c, which extendstransversely, and in this cave the mud-drum a? of the boilers issituated. In the forward wall of the cave cis a large opening, d, fromlwhich one, two, or more rows of pipes or tubes, @,of refractory materialextend forward and open into a vertical chamber or passage, bat thefront end of the combustion-chamber. The tubes e are composed ofsections d, and are supported at the joints by brick piers e, so thatexcept where the piers occur there are open spaces aroundthem,constituting part of the combustion-chamber, the flame and heat ofwhich circulate freely through such spaces.

These tubes admit air to support the combus tion of the gas in thefurnace, and are arranged, as described, in the combustion-chamber sothat therair which enters cold through the opening d is delivered intothe passage b3 in a highly heated condition. Extending horizontallyalong the front of the furnace is a gas-pipe, f, which receives itssupply of gas from the pipe f', and distributes it properly to thefurnace by means of branch pipes f2,

which extend through front wall and discharge into the combustionchamber at suitable intervals 'at or near the upper end of the passageb3. The supply of gas is controlled by a valve, g, in the pipe f.'Extending along the inner side of the front wall, below the mouths ofthe pipes f 2, is a small perforated pipe, h, which is connected by asmall pipe, h', with the gas-supply pipe f above the valve g, so asto'be unaffected by the said valve. It is provided with an independentregulatingvalve, h.

The purpose of the perforated pipe h is to keep a small flame constantlyburning in the furnace, so that when the gas is turned on in the mainpipe f it shall be instantly ignited, and the danger of explosions byreason of the collection of avolume of gas in the chamberb be greatlylessened. A further purpose is to keep sufficient heat under the boilersat all times to obviate all danger of their freezing in cold weather.

If desired, aburner, i', Fig. 1, supplied with IOO gas from the mainf bya pipe, t', may beprovided for lighting the boiler-room.

tion of my improved furnace is as follows, Viz: The gas is turned on andignited as it enters the chamber b. The air which supports thecombustion enters from the cavecthrough the opening dand tubes c. Atrst, the tubes l e being cold, the air is at the natural temperature,but the tubes c, being exposed to the heat of the furnace, soon becomevery hot, and the air is highly heated in its passage 1o through them,and meeting the gas from the pipes f2 in that condition effects itsperfect combustion. v

Practical experience has demonstrated that the best results with naturalgas are obtained by supplying it cold, andthe air in a highly torsuperheated condition. The higher the temperature of the air the better.This conydition has been best attained by the use of checker-workregenerators, or hotblast stoves;

but these, structures are of too expensive a character to be applied toordinary boiler-furnaces. lAttempts have been made to accomplish thesame result wit-hout such expense `by bringing the air in throughpassages formedv in the walls or bottoms of furnaces of various forms;but such attempts have been attended with indifferent success, not oneof them approaching in any eiiicient degree the results obtained by theuse ofy regenerators. On the other hand, my improved furnace not onlygives a temperature to the air which for all practical purposes is asefficient as that produced bya regenerator, but also brings the gas tothe point of combustion in a cold state.

The back wall of the combustion chamber b, with its openings b',constitutes an important feature, as it acts as a break to the flame andintercepts and throws back into the chamber a large quantity ofthe heat.It also affords a vmeans of regulating or adjusting the draft of thefurnace.

c No two furnaces are exactly alike, and betqter results may inmanycases be obtained by changing the size of the throat. This can beaccomplished with ease in my furnace by simisting furnaces. It isapplicable to other uses.

I amaware that it is not new to pass air for supporting combustionthrough tubes or pipes heated by a furnace for the purpose of heating 6othe air before it is lead to the combustionchamber. I am also aware thatperforated bridge-walls and checker-work are not new in furnaces.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is'- 1. Ina boiler or similar furnace, the combination of the transversecave or opening c,

refractory pipes or tubes e, situate in the combustion-chamber b andcommunicatingl with 7o the cave c and extending forward and opening intothe vertical passage b3, the upper end of which opens into thecombu'stionchamber b, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination of air-heating refractory pipes situate in thecombustion-chamber and communicating at one end with a transverse openair-passage, and at the other end with a vertical passage which leads upinto thevcombustion-chamber,with gas-distributing pipes which enterthrough the front wall and discharge at or near the upper end of thesaid vertical passage, substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 17th day ofNovember, A. D. 1884. v

Witnesses: SAMUEL T. OWENS.

W. B. GoRwIN, JNO. K. SMITH.

